Help! I'm doing my residency this week and the dress is "business casual" for the day and "business dress" for dinner. :help: I'm not sure of the difference... I generally wear long skirts, sweaters, and suits. All of my "business" attire is designed for fall/winter in northern illinois... and I'm going to Dallas :shock: What do I wear that isn't going to sweat me to death???

and since daytime adn dinner are specified, is it appropriate to wear the same thing all day???

Hildegard_von_Knittin

01-15-2006, 11:52 PM

AND the only dress showes I have are open toed sandals....

part of me is hoping you're going to give me an excuse for a shopping spree, btw. part of me doesn't want to spend any money on clothes that are not essential--because I could be spending that money on yarn....

Sara

01-16-2006, 12:12 AM

My first thought was, "Get to Zappos.com immediately and get a pair of closed-toe low-heeled pumps."

I found this definition of business dress/casual:
Business dress for women means a suit or tailored dress in conservative colors (black, gray, beige) with low-heeled, closed toe pumps and conservative jewelry. For men, business dress means a conservative suit, not a sports coat, plus a long-sleeved shirt, tie and leather oxfords or loafers.

Business casual means a tie isn't necessary. Khakis with a long-sleeved shirt are popular. For women, it's a dress, skirt and blouse, or slacks and blouse with flat heels allowed.

I'm sure you're required to dress nicely for school, so that should handle your daytime wardrobe. I would definitely wear a suit or dark color dress for dinner.

BinkyKat

01-16-2006, 12:12 AM

Here's my 382 cents... Since I work at a bank/credit card call center. We don't have daily outside customer traffic, but we do get groups of corporate visitors that are potential customers for whom we are asked to observe "business casual" dress for since we are allowed to wear jeans every day ( I am tryin' real hard not to go totally off on what some people pass off as dressing up as far as the phone unit is concerned -- read: hookers)
So, I used to be able to wear a denim skirt but they deamed that was a no no. So, I have a khaki skirt and a black one. I wear that with a washable suede jacket and a shell underneath. I also have worn a black jersey knit lower shin length tank dress that has a short sleaved buttoned jacket, the length of which falls just at the waist. They don't allow bare arms, and frankly, I wouldn't show mine at work if you paid me! I have some basic flats I wear since we are up and down walking around and such and as far as I am concerned, heels are for weddings, funerals, and prom. I guess i do have some short heels that I would consider for "business dress." That term, then, is interpreted at our place as men should wear suit, dress shirt, and tie, and women wear a suit/skirt-jacket. And of course, proper hosery.
I'd say do a nice blouse and trousers for day, and jazz it up for evening with a jacket and add a tish more accessory and a skirt for evening. If you shop, perhaps you'd be lucky to find a jacket, pant, skirt combo to invest in... then compliment it with different shells or casual pants which can be found pretty economically

Hope that helps! I know what it's like trying to dress right for work and for weather! Nothing worse that wearing something to a fancy occasion only to feel like you have on a tissuepaper outfit when you dash from car to building... :shock:

butterflymama

01-16-2006, 12:13 AM

In my experience business casual is a big range...anything from skirts and tops to khakis and blouses, to slacks and blouses.

Business dress is more dressy...a suit (skirt suit or pant suit), very nice dress, etc.

I think closed toe shoes are preffered in either dress.

CateKnits

01-16-2006, 12:27 AM

Where I work, "business casual" is pretty lax...non-jeans that reach the top of the shoes :rollseyes:, any top that is not sleeveless and covers the midriff, and closed-toed shoes (though we're permitted sneakers). I guess "business dress" is "anything fancier than that." :roflhard: Though, I'm lucky...I get to wear scrubs if I feel like it. :D

I'd say get a pair of closed-toed shoes if nothing else.

Vendie

01-16-2006, 07:29 AM

Looks like you've got a reason to go shopping now Hildie! The dress code I have to follow at work is deemed business casual (tho most of us get away with jeans)...so khakis, slacks, nice tops that don't have, you know, "HULA JOES" on the front of them or something.

I think a dressy skirt and blouse would suffice for business dress if you don't want to go the suit route.